Power-generating mechanism



Feb.'9,19ze. 1,572.57?

' J. F. THOMAS rowER GENERATING uEcHAmsu origin-a1 Filed April '8. 1922 2 sheets-shed 1 J. F. THOMAS POWER GENERATING MECHANISM Feb. 9 1926. 1,572,577

original Filed April a, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 N mamma Cil A Patented F eb. 9, 1926.

JAMES F. THOMASy OF WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA.

lPOWER-G-ENERATJNG MCHANISM.

Original application filed April 8, 1922, Serial No. 550,758. Divided and. this application filed October. 21,

To ZZ who-m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Jarras F. THOMAS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Wlindsor, in the Province of Ontario and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power- Generating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.`

This invention relates to rotary motor mechanism particularly adapted for use with power generating mechanism, and the primary object of the same is to provide a rotor mechanism adapted to receive compressed air delivered thereto from a prime compressing means forming part of the power generating mechanism, or the water that may be elevated to or forced into a reservoir means, and to utilize the power generated by the rotor for general service.

VA further object of the invention is to simplify and economize in the general construction and organization of the parts of a rotor mechanism adapted for use with power generating mechanism and at the same time reinforce or strengthen the several part-s to withstand wear and tear and pressures to which the parts maybe subjected during the operation of the rotor, and also to render the operation of the rotor effective and positive as a power generating means.

lVith these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the improved rotor mechanism and connections between the same and storage reservoir, the rotor mechanism being shown in transverse vertical section and parts of the pipe attachments broken away;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the center of the rotor and its casing as shown by Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rotor and a portion of its shaft removed from the rotor casing;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the' topV inlet plates ofthe rotor;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the bottom portion of the rotor casing.

This application constitutes a division of" serial No. 596,660.

the subject-matter originally disclosed by my Patents Nos. 1,441,135, Jan. 2, 1923, and 1,430,416, Sept. 2G, 1922.

In my Patent No. 1,430,416, above noted, a converging connection is embodied for the compressed air or water elevated thereby and this connection is attached to a coupling 76 connected to the bottom of a reservoir 77 preferably disposed in upright position and serving as a storage means. The surrounding walls 7 8 of the reservoir are preferablyforme'd of plastic material with a bottom closure plate 79 and a cap plate 80. On the inner side of one of the walls 78 rail ribs 81 are securedand engage suitable grooves 89. formed in the adjacent side of a gravitating piston 83 for guiding the said piston in its action and holding the same in central position within the reservoir. The piston 83 is prevented from lowering beyond a I Dredetermined point within the cylinder 77 by a stop pin 84. The air under pressure, or the water desired to be stored in elevation, passes through the coupling or supply connection 76 and enters the lower portion of the reservoir or storage tank 77. The func- .f

tion of the. piston 83 is to maintain the air stored in the reservoir or tank under certain pressure, the pressure stored within the reservoir or tank when sufficiently strong to overcome the weight of the piston 83 gradually raising the latter, and as a consequence, the weight pressure on the air stored in the cylinder will be increased and perform an important function relatively to the pressure of the air in the said reservoir or tank. From the reservoir or tank 77 the stored air under pressure will be liberated for a 'practical service in a manner which will be presently explained. Vater may be likewise supplied to the reservoir 77 and similarly 'distributed or discharged from the latter for operation of the motor means including a rotor.

The preferred form of rotor and rotor enclosure which is operatively associated with the tank or reservoir 77 and adapted to be actuated or rotated either by air delivered thereto from the reservoir or by Water stored in said reservoir consists of al plastic casing 85 of any suit-able length and having an approXnnately semi-cylindrical bottom portion 8G with a central outlet 87 having flared walls 88 adjacent'thereto. `The casing 85 also has plastic ends S9, as shown by Fig.

" casing.

2, and in the preliminary structure of the said casing as a whole, metal plat-es 90 are applied in the mold at the ends and have upright brace bars and key devices 91 attached thereto. lVhen the cement or plastic material is inserted in theinold, it is disposed between the plates'90 and brace bars Vand key devices 91 become imbedded there-k in, and thereby hold the said plates in fixed associated relation with the ends 89 of the casing. During the molding operatio-n of the casing 85 including itsends 89, a shaft 92 is placed in proper position relatively to the interior of the mold, the plates having slots 93 formed therein and opening through the upper edges to permit the shaft to be let down into position relatively to the said plates, and when the cement or plastic material is disposed in the mold between the plates 90 it lills over the shaft at the ends, or closes the slots 93. Theshaft 92iis projected through openings in the ends 89 of the same diameter as the'shaft, the said openings being formed by turning the shaft in the cement or plastic material while the latter is soft. It will be understood that tight around the shaft where the latter projects outwardly through the said ends. However', 1n view of the structure of the rotor carried by the shaft 92, stuffing boxes or other similar devices will be unnecessary,

as the assemblage of the endsof the rotor structure with the inner sides or'ends or end walls 89 of the casing S5 will be such as to make it possible to dispense with stufling boxes or like devices. Throughout the length of the casing or casing body 85, including the ends 89 thereof, reinforcing rods 94 and also other reinforcing structures commonly used will be introduced, to give the body of the casing sufficient rigidity as well as strength and durability to resist pressure from within and overcome any tendency to fracture or breakage of the said These rods 911, which run lengthwise of the casing 85 Aorthrough the side portions of the latter', arey secured against the ,end plates 90, asl Vshown by Fig. 2. Below the outlet 87 and the flared walls 88 at the bottom of the casing 85 a longitudinal discharge outlet 95 is formed, as clearly illustrated by Fig. 6, said outlet extending fullyv` between the opposite ends 85k and wherebywhen water is used as the motive medium, the discharge of the water through the outlet S7 may be quickly relieved 0r cai" ried away from` the lower portion of the casing. The lower portion 86 of the casing, as hereinbeforeexplained, is semi-cylindrical but the upper portions of the sides of the casing are vertically straight, as at 95a,

opposite shoulders 96being produced at the point of intersection of the lower opposite curved walls and the upper vertical walls. The lowercurved walls have the rotor elements closely engaging the same, and the upper vertical walls provide for a practical introduction or feed vof the motive medium, such as air or water, to the actuating elements of the rotor. On top of the casing 85 and extending full length thereof are inlet devices 97 of similar structure, said inlet devices as shown by F ig. 4l consisting essentially of rectangular plates with central inlet collars98 opening into a distributing chamber 99 having side walls 100 downwardly converging towards a comparatively reduced feed slot 101.l The walls 100 also converge from the centerV of each pla-te towards the opposite ends of the latter, as at 102, see Fig. l in dotted lines. The inlet `devices. 97 constitute cover plates for a portion of the topV of the casing 85 and the inner flanges 103 of these platesV provide the side walls for a top outlet 104, which extends the full length of the plasticy casing S5. elongated metal tube having base flanges 105 which are secured on the flanges'lOB of the 4plates 97 by suitable fastening devices 106, as shown by Fig. 1. The interior of the collars 98 are threaded and connected thereto are the lower terminals of a U-pipe 107 which has the vertical legs 10S thereof each provided with a cutoff valve 109and whereby the fiow o r supply ofthe motive vmedium such as air or waterto either side of the interior of the casing for controlling the operation of .the rotor 1n reverse direcpipe 110 is connected and also attached to and communicates with the interior of t-he reservoir or tank 77 at a point above the bottoni of the latter.

.The shaft 99 has arotor 111 keyed or otherwise fastened theretoand composed of a. series of hub sections 119l fitted over the `shaft in end to end relation as sho-wn by Figs. 2 and 3, and each having a plurality of T-angle-arms 113 projecting therefrom, there being six arms in the present instance on each hub section. Applied to the angle arms 113 are thin sheet metal plates 114k and 115, as shown by Fig. 5, the plates being disposed between the stem flanges 116 of -the 'Farms-113 and suitably rsecured against the horizontal or right-angular members 117 of said Tearnvis. Y The platesllY are each of a width just equal tothe distancebe-H The outlet 104 is in the form of an material, so as to solidifythe structure and at the same timereduce the weight without' detracting from the necessary strength and durability of each blade organization of the rotor, which is produced by the structure just explained. The stem members 116 stand outwardly and project vbeyond the plates 115 and reinforce the blades of the rotor, and coacting with the horizontal integral members 117 prevent buckling or distortion of the blades.` The outer edges of the plates 114 as shown by Fig. 1 project slightly beyond the edges of the plates 115 j and cement or plastic fillings 118, so as to closely contact with the curved walls of the ,lower semi-cylindrical bottom portion 86 of the casing 85, and in the preliminary construction of the casing these plates are caused to form the said curved walls while the material of the latter is sufliciently soft by-rotating the shaft 92 to which the hub sections 112 and the parts carried thereby, or the blades, are primarily secured. By .means of this preliminary preparation a close fitting of the projecting ends of the plates 114 and the curved end walls of the lower semicylindrical portion 86 of the casing is produced. The rotor blades constructed as just explained are alternatively cut away or slotted, as at 119, adjacent to the hub sections. These slots 119 extend inwardly about midway of the ends of the rotor blades, the slot of one blade being over a closed or unslottedportionof the adjacent j, blade, and so o-n aroundthe series of adj of incomingvwater thereagainst. Likewise,

these openings equally well function when compressed air is introduced into the casing 85 as the operating medium, the air `passing in close to the hub sections, or between the reduced portions of the angular spaces between the blades, escaping upwardly through the openings of the blades above those below and liberated at the top portions of the rotor casing, or through the outlet means or device 104. The outer ends of the outermost hub sections 112 extend into the inner sides of the end plastic walls 89 of the rotor casing 85, as at 120, see Fig. 2, and form tight joints around the shaft or adjacent to the points where the latter extends outwardly through the ends 89. This association of the outermost hub sections 112 with the ends of the casing will obviate leakage from the interior of the casing around the shaft', and as hereinbefore explained, any suitable packing means may be introduced at this point to increase the non-leaking vefficiency of these associated end parts.

The operation of the improved rotor is very simple. The stored air or water inthe reservoir 7 7 is permitted to pass `to the rotor through the medium of either one of the vertical legs 108 of the U-pipe 107 by opening the one valve 109, the other similar valve being closed. When air is stored in the reservoir or tank 77, it is delivered in compressed forminto the said tank or reservoir against the weight of the gravitating piston 83, which maintains the pressure of the air at a maximum. When it is desired to. use the compressed air, either one of the valves 109 is opened, and if the one at the right is opened as shown by Fig. 1, air will'be aolmitted into the distributing chamber 99 at the right of the rotor and thenthrough the constricted outlet 10,1 between the downwardly converging walls 100 and impact against the blade of the rotor nearest the said outlet 101.

The incoming air striking the rotor blade will force the rotor 111 and its shaft 92 around to bring a succeeding blade into position for impact of the air under pressure, and so on throughout `the whole series of blades. -The incoming air striking each blade will expand and be liberated in an upward direction between the outer extremity of the next blade above and the innermost inclined wall 100, in View of the fact that the inner extremity of the blade clears the said inclined -wall such a distance as to permit free escape ofthe air,

it being preferred that the inlet 101 be proportionately smaller than the open space between the outer end of each blade and the innermost wall100. The air entering the casing 85 and striking the successive blades will also be liberated through the slots or openings 119 at' the inner portions of the several blades and pass Vupwardly through the common outlet 104, and from this outlet the air may be conveyed to a 'further means of storage or be utilized for any'other p-urpose desired. In reversing the rotor the valve 109 on the right is closed and the similar valve on the left as shown by Fig. 1 is opened, thereby causing an impact of the air against the blades on the left side of the rotor and a consequent reversal in the direction of rotation. This simple method of reversing the rotor will be exceptionally ad vantageous in Voperating different kinds of mechanism, and such reversal may be expeditiously effected without requiring manipulation of complex devices.

The water is stored in the reservoir or tank 77 the same supply operation to the rotor 111 ensues through either of the inlets 101 by way of either distributing chamber 99 in accordance with the open or closed con-Y after striking thesuccessive bla-des will pass a motor consisting ofjan enclosing casing` i. t constructed of plastic material'fand having upper opposite straight side Walls andlower dition ofthevalves 109 controlling supply to the respective chambers 99, and thewater down through the openings alternately .ar-

`ranged in the Ablades Ias hereinbefore-'ex- .p1ained, to avoid-crowding-or pocketing and setting up a cushioning or pressure-resisting action at the -center of the rotor. l fMoreover,

the-water which does not pass-,downwardly Y through the openings 119 in the blades will.

follow around with the several blades until :the lower discharge outlet `87z isgreached, when the water will be completely liberated from the blades. Thev'water passing ldown-A wardly ,throughthe blades will inlike in an- ,f `neiyfiovv out through the lowery discharge 0.v eninv 87 and thlen throuoli .the 0'eneral b 23 t! voutlet opening k9.5 belowlthe said outlet'f t It isobvious that-the proportions and di-tk `20;

mensions of the several parts of the motor from the nature or'spirit of the invention.

What is claimed; as new is:- `1f.:Inamechanismof the class specified,

curved Walls, metal top platesv having collars [projecting upwardly,therefrom, the

topy of the: casing having` oppositely dis-v posed distributing chambers confined .be-

tween inwardly and longitudinally 3 converg- `ving wallsj'with contracted slot outlets, the.

enclosing ,casing lof the 'motorl inechanisnihaving (top, andfbott'om continually-openoutlets, a rotor within, the casing compris- ,l ing a 'plurality of blades. alternately having i'eliefopenings adjacent the vCenter of the rotor, and; valved .supply connections associated: with said collars fon rdelivering 'l the operating medium underpressurel to the `'distributing chambers` forpassage between the converging ywalls and. 4 through the .contracted outlets to engage and forcefully lim-t pact against the-blades ofthe rotor..V a f 2. In a mechanism ofythe class specified,` `motor mechanism coniprisingih a formed of plastic kiilaterial fand having 'casing lower opposite side curvednvallsand upper plates, reinforcing means extending through thewalls of the plastic covering vand selcured to the plates, topy cover plates having connecting means andconverging outlets depending intofthe upper part of the casing, the A,casing yalso having continually open upper and lowen' discharge outlets, pipe connectionsattached to the cover plates forisupply `f of the operating medium, the pipeconnections having independent valves in parts thereof for controlling the feed of the operating medium to the motor, and a rotor within they casing having lblades and a shaft projecting'outwardly through the endsiof the casing, the operating medi- V,uni being deliveredffinto the motor mecha- -andtit-s accessories may be variedto `:adapt the saine to ldifferent uses vv'ithout departing.;v

`-a 'rotary motor. comprising a casing hav- `ing topV plates with downwardly converging wallsV extending into the interior of themcasing 'and forming constricted inlets,

the top `and' bottom of .the casing having ,continuously open outlets for the liberation ofdifferent*kindsof operating medium, a rotor ,mounted in the casing and having a shaft lextending through the ends of the lat- ,tei-,"said'-rotorbeing provided'with a series .blades comprising hub sections with radiatingT-arins and upper and 'lower yplates applied tothe arms, the plates in alternationthroughout the series ofv blades 'being formed with openingsin their inner portions near Vthethubof the rotor,'the outer endszof apart of the plates projecting be- 'v'ondzthe'remaining,portions of the blades 'and serving to shape a portion of the interior of the casing for operation of the rotor, and valved connecting means for supplying motive inediuin to the motor'and associated withv the said cover plates.

1n testimony whereof I ai'lixv my signaturef' i Janes r. THOMAS. 

